1. Field of the invention
The present invention concerns an automatic machine for fitting striking plates. This machine is designed in particular to fit striking plates to fixed frames of windows or French windows.
2. Description of the Prior art
These fixed frames are designed to receive one or more opening frames. If the fixed frame is to be fitted with more than one opening frame, it comprises in addition to a conventional frame one or more additional crossmembers or one or more additional uprights so that the fixed frame is made up of a number of subframes. The machine in accordance with the invention enables striking plates to be fitted to any fixed frame design.
To enable the opening frame(s) to be fitted to it, the fixed frame must be equipped with various fittings and in particular appropriate striking plates.
There are two types of striking plates namely those which merely serve to latch the opening frame to the fixed frame and those which, in addition to this primary function, also cause displacement of the opening frame on opening or closing, for example, a tilt-turn opening frame.
Depending on how the opening frame opens, and therefore on the type of fitting, it is also necessary to fit one or both uprights or one or both crossmembers with striking plates.
In some cases striking plates are fitted all around the fixed frame and it is then usual to speak of a peripheral fitting or peripheral closure.
To simplify the following description reference will made to fitting striking plates to a fixed frame, by which is meant either a basic fixed frame or any of the subframes of a fixed frame as mentioned above.
In a prior art technique that is still in widespread use, the material of the fixed frame is treated or machined to receive fittings which are attached by hand. There are also semi-automatic machines in the form of individual automatic units arranged in a line along which either an upright or a crossmember of each frame is passed. However, existing machines always require the presence of operators to manipulate the frames or the tools. What is more, given the different shapes and designs of the components, current semiautomatic lines require a variety of tools or automatic units and in very many cases manual assembly is preferred as it is more cost-effective than a machine which automates the work for only one specific application.
The aim of the invention is to provide a fully automatic machine that can be used with any type of striking plate and any type of fixed frame, all manual operations being eliminated and the unequipped fixed frames being fed automatically to the machine.
In particular, this machine enables conventional top striking plates and bottom striking plates to be fitted, the latter being used in particular for tilt-turn systems.